Sometimes, the danger of accidents lurks in unexpected places in a working environment.
Recently, a teacher who fell off a classroom table received £250,000 in compensation from her employer. She had, as is common, been putting a display on the wall of her classroom. The school had not provided a safe means of putting things on the walls, such as a stepladder.
The result of her fall was a broken foot and fibromyalgia, which led to depressive illness and the loss of her career.
An employer has a duty to make sure the working environment is kept safe. Risk analysis must be undertaken for any potentially dangerous activities and appropriate training given to ensure employees and others can carry out their work in a safe manner.
According to the National Association of Schoolmasters Union of Women Teachers, more than £13 million was paid out in compensation claims to its members last year.